The 8th annual SpaceNews Icon Awards, celebrating outstanding achievements in the space sector, were presented at a December 2 ceremony held at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C. These awards, initiated in 2017 by SpaceNews, recognize individuals, programs, and technologies that have significantly shaped the direction of the space industry.
This year's event highlighted the impact of a new administration and its policy changes, particularly concerning NASA's funding. A key figure recognized was Casey Dreier of The Planetary Society. Dreier, as chief of space policy for the organization, has been instrumental in challenging proposed budget cuts to NASA, especially in science.
The Planetary Society, a 45-year-old non-profit, was founded during a similar crisis in the early 1980s when budget cuts threatened planetary exploration. Dreier's advocacy stands out due to its data-driven approach. When the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) announced cuts of $420 million in "unneeded contracts" at NASA, Dreier meticulously tracked cancellations, identifying approximately $315 million in affected grants and contracts, categorizing their impact by district.
Similarly, when NASA released its fiscal year 2026 budget request, Dreier quickly analyzed the proposed cuts and potential mission cancellations, sharing this information with the public and reporters. He used historical data to illustrate the severity of the cuts, pointing out that they would result in NASA's smallest overall budget since 1961 (adjusted for inflation) and the smallest science budget since 1984. The data also indicated the smallest NASA workforce since 1960.
This data-driven approach complements traditional advocacy. In October, The Planetary Society organized a "Save NASA Science Day of Action" on Capitol Hill, bringing nearly 300 people to meet with congressional staff about the proposed budget and its impact on NASA science. The presence of Bill Nye, CEO of The Planetary Society, amplified the event's media attention. According to Dreier: "All of these numbers are coupled with more traditional advocacy."
As of mid-November, Congress had not yet passed a fiscal year 2026 budget for NASA, but pending bills in the House and Senate largely opposed the White House’s proposal. These bills suggest maintaining science funding at fiscal 2025 levels or with smaller cuts. The advocacy of organizations like The Planetary Society, supported by Dreier's data and analysis, may have contributed to this outcome. "Has that effort been effective?" said Dreier. The article originally appeared in the December 2025 issue of SpaceNews Magazine.